What is Kidney Function Test? Dr. Puneet Dhawan
Healthy Kidneys help remove wastes and excess fluid from the blood and play a vital role in maintaining overall health. Kidneys also help control water levels and various essential minerals in the body. In addition, kidneys are also critical to the production of Vitamin D, Red Blood Cells and hormones that regulate blood pressure. “What is Kidney Function Test?”
If the doctor finds that your kidneys are not functioning properly, you may need kidney function tests. These are simple urine and blood tests that can identify problems with your kidneys. Kidney function tests might also be required if you have other conditions that might hamper the proper functioning of kidneys, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
SYMPTOMS OF KIDNEY DISEASE
Kidney Disease symptoms may include:
- High Blood Pressure.
- Frequent urges to urinate.
- Blood in the urine.
- Painful urination.
- Difficulty urinating.
- Unusual Swelling of hands and feet
One single symptom might not mean something serious, however, simultaneous re-occurrence of those symptoms might suggest that your kidneys are not working properly. And here is What is Kidney Function Test for? They can help determine the reason behind these issues and helps you treat the problem on time before it becomes life-threatening. “What is Kidney Function Test?”
TYPES OF KIDNEY FUNCTION TESTS
To test the kidney functions, the doctor will order a set of tests that can help estimate your Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR), to determine the process and speed of waste clearing of your kidneys.
- Urinalysis: It screens the presence of protein and blood in the urine. There are many possible reasons for protein in the urine, but all of them might not be related to the disease. And for this, the doctor might ask you to repeat this test even after a few weeks, to see if the results are indistinguishable. What is Kidney Function Test?
- Serum Creatinine test: This is a blood test that examines whether creatinine is building in the blood. Usually, the kidneys completely filter creatinine from the blood. Increased creatinine level in the blood, help diagnose the improper functioning of kidneys. The National Kidney Foundation (NKF), states that more than 1.2 milligrams/deciliter(mg/dl) in women and 1.4 mg/dl is a symptom of kidney disease. “What is Kidney Function Test?”
- Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN): It checks the amount of nitrogen in the blood. However, all BUN tests do not mean a diseased kidney. Some common medications might also lead to an increased nitrogen in the blood. A normal BUN level should be between 7-20 mg/dl. A higher value might result in several serious health issues.
- Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR): This test scrutinizes the waste filtration rate of your kidneys. It is determined, looking at factors such as gender, age, weight, height, race and test results, especially Creatinine results
WHY IS KIDNEY FUNCTION TEST NEEDED?
Kidney tests are crucial for patients with high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease. The doctor might require these test reports if
- They suspect kidneys to be malfunctioning. “what is Kidney Function Test?”
- You are undergoing Kidney Disease treatment and your cure is being monitored
- The doctors become concerned about the potassium and other mineral levels in your blood
- You are taking medications that might harm your kidneys
